Brace for folding table legs



Jan. 15,1935. J. w. BEIGER 1,937,767

BRACE FOR FOLDING TABLE LEGS Filed Jan. 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 15, 1935. J, W, BEIGER 1,987,767

BRACE FOR FOLDING TABLE LEGS Filed Jan. 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR l v "JO/m W e: 'er 2%, 4 7 BY ATToRNEx` Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES 1,987,767 y BRACE FOR FOLDING vTABLE LEGS John W. Beiger, Ludington, Mich.,assgnor to The Carrom Company, Ludington, Mich. l

Application January 16, 1933, Serial No. 651,871

1 Claim.

The objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a folding leg unit assembly for use on folding table frames which unit can be assembled as such and then easily installed in the corner of a table frame.

Second, to provide such a unit that is made substantially entirely of sheet metal stampings.

Third, to provide such a unit with a double brace.

Fourth, to provide such a unit with a fixed brace of special design.

Fifth, to provide such a unit in which the legs of the table, when installed, extend diagonally inward from the side of the table to clear fixed braces on similar legs.

Sixth, to provide a simple, effective and positive acting folding brace for legs of folding tables.

Further objects and advantages pertaining to details and economies of construction and operation will appear from the description Ito follow. A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a table with my corner assembly units installed.

Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the corner of a table showing one of my units installed in the corner of the table.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a corner of a card table with my unit installed therein showing the table in upside down position and showing the operation of my device in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of my bracket with the leg in open position.

Fig. 5 is a section through the leg and guide for the folding brace taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the leg showing the folding brace and guide therefor in operation.

The parts will be identified by their numerals of reference which are the same in all the views.

1 is a table top having a frame composed of side members 2 put together to form the corner 3. 4 is my improved unit folding leg assembly having a bracket 5 having arms 6 and 7 adapted to be fastened to the frame of the table as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by means of screws 8 and having a right angled corner portion 9 in which the table leg is pivoted and an offset portion 10 on which a folding leg brace is pivoted. On the other arm 5 of the bracket is a struckup ear 11 spaced considerably from the corner portion 9. The bracket as shown is formed of astripof metal bent to the form vvshown and described.: It can be made as a' stamping or otherwise. It would .be possible to cast the same, although :for purposes of economythe stamping is desirable.

A table leg 12 is pivoted in the corner portion 9 and has thereon a fixed brace comprising a metal strip 13 fastened at its lower end to the leg 12 at a point 14 spaced from the end of said leg. The portion of the strip 13 is bent away from the leg of the table to form a brace member 15 having its upper end spaced from the end of the leg 12. The end 16 of the strip 13 is bent back to the table leg and down as at 17 to form an abutment, the abutment and portion 16 acting as a spacer to keep the end of the brace 15 spaced from the end of the table leg.

The portion 17 and the brace member 15 are bored, as well as the table leg, to receive a rivet 18 extending therethrough and through the corner portion 9 and the ear 11 on the bracket to form a pivoted construction for the leg. The portion 17 of the metallic strip 13 may be fastened to the table leg if desired, although that is not shown in the drawings.

On the opposite side of the leg 12 from the fixed brace 15 is a brace guide 19 formed of a metal strip having its ends bent up as at 20 to form anges through which a pivoted brace 21 Will slide. The guide 19 is pivoted to a rivet 22 which has an enlarged head 23 extending into the guide member 19 to form a stud. A washer 24 is provided to avoid friction. The rivet 22 extends through the table leg and through the metallic strip 13 as at 14 to fasten the xed brace to the leg so that it will pivot with the leg as a unit.

A folding or pivoted brace 21 is pivoted to the offset portion 10 of the bracket and is of spring metallic material so arranged that it exerts a spring pressure toward the leg of the table. Spaced from the end thereof is an aperture 25 adapted to t over the head 23 of the rivet 22 when the leg is in open position. A portion 26 of the brace 21 extends beyond the guide member to provide means for raising the aperture 25 out of engagement with the rivet head 23 when it is desired to fold the leg.

In operation, in opening the table the brace 21 slides through the guide 19 until the leg is in open position. The head 23 then passes through the aperture 25, locking it in position. To prevent pulling the brace 21 from the guide 19, I provide stops 27 to engage the guide as the leg reaches the open position. The sides 28 and 29 of the corner portion 9 extend at angles to their respective arms 7 on the bracket so that when the leg is pivoted therein it extends diagonally in from the edge of the table when in the closed position, permitting the end of the leg to clear the fixed brace on similar legs installed at the other corners of the table. This is necessary because in a table of the card table size, the legs must be of such length that they would, if allowed to lie adjacent the side, strike against the fixed braces.

It will be seen that I have provided a simple and effective folding leg unit for installation in folding tables. The arrangement is such that the leg Will lie diagonally in from the edge ofv the table and this arrangement is eiected at the least possible expense without the necessity for forming the corner of the table to make a seat for a pivoted leg.

The folding brace or pivoted brace has a very effective and positive action and cooperates with the means for fastening the other brace to produce a. highly simplified construction.

I have shown and described the embodiment of my invention preferred by me but Wish to claim the same broadly as Well as specifically, as pointed out in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a table having a folding leg pivoted in the corner thereof, a stud on said leg and spaced from the end of the leg, a channel guide adapted to embrace a leg brace and pivoted on said stud with the head of the stud extending through the Web of the channel of said guide, a spring brace pivoted to said table at a point spaced from the end of the leg and slidably disposed within and embraced by said channel guide and arranged to exert spring pressure toward said leg, said brace having an opening therein spaced from the free end thereof and adapted to be engaged with and receive the stud head by the spring action of said brace when the leg is in open position.

JOHN W. BEIGER.. 

